Anti-abortion lawmakers spur GAO to probe Planned Parenthood

Friday, 09 August 2013 22:26

Spurred by a group of anti-abortion lawmakers, the Government Accountability Office is investigating how Planned Parenthood, the Guttmacher Institute, and other prominent family planning-related organizations spend public funds, the GAO confirmed Friday.

More than 50 members of Congress had written in February to Comptroller General and GAO head Gene Dodaro asking the office to follow up on a 2010 GAO report that detailed federal monies provided to the groups.

On Friday, the GAO confirmed to POLITICO that the request from the lawmakers was accepted and an investigation opened. No press release or pubic statement was put out by the office at the time.

Chuck Young, GAO managing director of public affairs, said the scope of the investigation was still being determined, and no completion date had been set.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America Vice President Eric Ferrero said in a statement that the move was not an investigation, but instead “a routine report by GAO in response to a request by opponents of Planned Parenthood in Congress.”